


What now?

by bad_ash10



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN INFINITY WAR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 06:43:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15858324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bad_ash10/pseuds/bad_ash10
Summary: Infinity War has consequences for the Agents of SHIELD





	What now?

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this months ago and never could figure out how to end it. Finally had a stroke of genius and decided to post!

Phil Coulson was dying, and Melinda May did not want to accept that fact. They had been in Tahiti for two weeks, and it had been one of the best times in her life. But with each passing day, she noticed Phil was little weaker, a little quieter, and the dark lines were tracing their way ever further across his torso, arms, and down his thighs.

She was watching him sun bathing on the beach from the kitchen window of their secluded beach house, probably asleep on the chair he had claimed on their first day on the island and had proceeded to take a nap on every day since. This hour or so when he slept was the only time each day that she had to let her feelings of grief come to the surface.

Standing now at the window, a sob escaped from her mouth before she could stop it. The knowledge that she would have only a matter of days with her oldest friend, partner, and now significant other, often seemed like it would literally tear her apart. Before her despair could envelop her completely though, she had to pull herself together. If she totally succumbed now, she would ruin what little time she had left with Coulson.

After a while she changed into her swimsuit and made both herself and Coulson a Mai Tai, before joining him on the beach. “Phil?”

“Hmm?” he said groggily as he opened one eye to peek blearily at her through the remaining haze of sleep.

“I made you a drink,” she offered.

This got him to open both eyes and he sat up to take the drink from her. “Thanks, bae.”

She rolled her eyes playfully. “I thought we talked about that term? Even Daisy and Fitzsimmons say they’re too old to use it,” she said with a smirk.

“Hey, I’m hip. I’m cool.”

She was smiling at him now. “Phil, even at the Academy you weren’t hip and cool. And face it: we’re old now.”

Coulson scoffed. “I beg your pardon? Speak for yourself. I’m still young at heart.”

Melinda’s smile disappeared suddenly, leaving behind a grief-stricken expression.

He spun around on his chair to face her completely. “Sorry. Bad choice of words on my part.”

May’s response was almost angry. “You’re damn right.” When she looked up a few moments later, Phil had an odd expression on his face. “Phil?”

“I feel…weird. Something weird is happening.” He looked down at his finger tips that were slowly turning black and charred. A moment later they were ash blowing in the wind, and the black was creeping up his arms and legs as more of him began to dissipate.

“Phil!” she screamed in her panic trying to find part of him to hold on to. “What is this?! What’s happening?!”

There was nearly nothing left of him now as his torso and head were turning into ash as well. He looked back at her and just barely managed to say, “Melinda,” before he was gone completely.

She stared at the place where he had just been in front of her, unable to comprehend what she had just seen. The whole experience seemed surreal. _How can a person disintegrate into ash?_

____________

It had taken May a while to admit to herself that he was gone, that this was not a nightmare. _I never got to say goodbye. I thought we had time._

She wasn’t sure if this was the result of his deal with Ghost Rider or if this was something else. Either way, Melinda waited three weeks before she left to find the team. She couldn’t face them and tell them what had happened. Not yet.

The small island seemed quieter and emptier as she made her way to the airport, but she didn’t think much of it. After losing Phil, the world seemed darker and emptier in general. Not even the bright Tahiti sunlight seemed to reach her through the dark haze of grief.

It wasn’t until she reached the airport that she noticed something was off. There weren’t enough people. She knew Tahiti was relatively small compared to some places she had been, but this was odd.

The news stations on at the airport showed others turning to ash across the globe. There was cell phone footage, photos, traffic cameras and more that showed what had happened. _It wasn’t just him._

She had a bit of time before her plane was scheduled to depart, so she used it to try to call Daisy’s cellphone. “Damn it!” she said under her breath when the call went straight to voicemail. Melinda tried repeatedly to call until she had to board her flight.

___________

Three connecting flights and a long drive separated her from the base Daisy and Mack planned to use between their excursions to search for Fitz. As often as she could, she was dialing Daisy, Mack, Simmons, and Yo-yo’s cell, and every time she tried, they all went straight to voicemail.

After nearly 24 hours of worry and travel, May finally arrived at the base. It too seemed empty, and the security was nearly non-existent. She had easily bypassed the keypad lock and gotten inside, worried she would find the base empty.

She was striding through the halls looking for signs of her team. After what seemed like an eternity, she heard what sounded like Daisy and Mack talking. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Daisy round the corner.

As the two newest SHIELD directors saw May, they stopped in their tracks, shocked at her presence.

“Daisy,” she said it softly and limped as fast as she could toward the girl.

“May!” Daisy yelled and sprinted the 15 feet or so that separated her from Melinda.

Daisy slammed into May so forcefully they almost fell over. May wrapped her arms around Daisy and squeezed as tightly as she could.

Mack finally joined them. “Agent May, we are definitely glad to see you!”

Daisy pulled back slightly searching for an answer she was afraid to hear. “Coulson?”

Melinda shook her head slightly. “Who is left here?” she asked as she looked between Daisy and Mack.

 “Just Simmons.” She could see Mack’s jaw clench at Daisy’s answer.

May nodded slightly, taking in the terrible news. “What’s your plan, Daisy?”

Daisy inhaled sharply. “We don’t have one.”

May pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number Daisy didn’t recognize.

“Who are you calling?” Mack asked curiously.

May looked at him impassively as the line rang just twice before someone answered on the other end.

“Melinda?! You're alive!” a voice exclaimed through the phone line.

Melinda locked eyes with Daisy, a pleased look on her face. “Nat. Could the Avengers use some back-up?”


End file.
